LED by a brilliant and responsible  88 from skipper Christopher Gayle and an unbeaten 65 from man-of-the- match Narsingh Deonarine, the West Indies were able to level their five-match Digicel One-day International series against Zimbabwe at one each, with a four-wicket win at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, yesterday. Scores in the match: Zimbabwe 206 all out from 49.4 overs, West Indies 208-6 47.5 overs.

As they did in the one-off Twenty20 and the first match here in Guyana, Zimbabwe won the toss and, opting to take first strike in sunny conditions, laboired to 206 before they were bowled out in the final over. West Indies replied with 208-6 from 47.5 overs.

Zimbabwe openers did not get the start they needed this time around, as a disciplined bowling display from the home team’s bowlers, led by Nikita Miller (4-43) and Kemar Roach (3-37), placed a tight lid on the opposition’s batting.

First-match hero with the bat, Vusimuzi Sibanda, failed to get going, even though he pulled a short delivery from Roach through midwicket for four, as he was run-out in the first over attempting a cheeky single to forward short leg.

Hamilton Masakadza, who took 14 balls to open his account before driving David Bernard Jr, one of two replacements in the Windies team, through extra cover and midwicket respectively for boundaries in three balls, before he picked out Miller at third man from a top-edged pull off Roach.

Brandon Taylor (47) and Tatenda Taibu (31) staged Operation Recovery for Zimbabwe, with the former cutting Roach over third man for a maximum, while Taibu struck Sulieman Benn exquisitely through extra cover for four as they added 59 for the third wicket.

A straighter ball from skipper Christopher Gayle had Taylor back in the pavilion via lbw and he was quickly followed by Stuart Matsikenyeri (2) and Taibu in the space of 28 balls, as Zimbabwe slipped from 93-2 to 107-5 at the halfway mark of their innings.

Elton Chigumbura then made a resilient 50, his 13th half-century in his 105th match, with six fours from 66 deliveries, adding 73 for the sixth wicket with Gregory Lamb 23 (3×4) from 18.5 overs, but once the West Indies got rid of Lamb who was caught and bowled by Miller, the innings folded quickly.

Chigumbura was caught by Deonarine at cover off Roach, while Miller knocked back the middle and leg stump of Cremer and when Gayle’s whipped return to wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher found Christopher Mpofu (0) short of his ground, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 206 with two balls to spare.

Gayle got things off to a flyer for his team who were asked to bat for 30 minutes before the scheduled lunch break, taking the attack to Zimbabwe, especially his opposite number Prosper Utseya, hitting him for a maximum off the second ball of the innings, followed by two fours and another six in his fourth over.

West Indies lost Adrian Barath (7) who was earlier given a life by Matsikenyeri off Raymond Price, lbw to the same bowler just before the lunch break, at which point they were 45-1, with Gayle on 37 and David Bernard Jr on one.

After the break, the West Indies who needed 162 more runs to win at the start of the session, lost Bernard Jr and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (10), even though Gayle brought up his 41st half-century at this level from 60 balls with four fours and two sixes, to be 82-3 in the 23rd over.

Fletcher’s dismal run in West Indies colours continued when he was bowled by a Cremer googly, as he failed to trouble the scorers for the sixth time in his last eight innings, leaving his team on 85-4 in the 26th over.

The West Indies 100 was realised in the 29th over, with Gayle on 59 and Deonarine, who replaced Fletcher, on a workmanlike 10, before the latter struck Cremer back over his head for a maximum, followed by a four through midwicket which brought the crowd to life.

Two exquisite drives through extra cover from Deonarine, followed by two more boundaries from Gayle off Mpofu, pushed the West Indies to 163-4 after 41 overs with Gayle moving to 84 and in sight of his 20th one-day international ton, while Deonarine inched along to 42.

Zimbabwe had something to celebrate, when Gayle who had reverse-swept Cremer for four, was bowled off the next delivery for 88, made off 110 balls with seven fours and two sixes, bringing an end to an 83-run fifth-wicket partnership with Deonarine.

Deonarine, who watched from the other end as Kieron Pollard opened his account with a six over long-on off Cremer, brought up his second half-century at this level from 74 balls with four fours and one six, before Pollard was caught by Sibanda off Price at 187-6.

He remained unbeaten at the end on 65 from 86 deliveries with six fours and one maximum and along with Darren Sammy who was unbeaten on 9 (2×4) at the end, ensured the West Indies reached home safely against the bowling of Price and Cremer who took two wickets each for 31 and 44 runs respectively.